Golf ball retriever



1936 L. J. MOLINARE GOLF BALL RETRIEVER Filed June 28, 1935 Patented Oct. 27, 1936 i UNITED STATES .PATENTIOFFICE GOLF 'B ALL RETRIEVEE.

Lawrence J. Molinare, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 28, 1935,. Serial No. 28,899

10 Claims. (01. 273-66) The present invention relates to a device es- Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device in colpecially adapted for retrieving golf balls from lapsed or distended condition. water hazards, ditches, etc. in an easy and expedi- Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal axial sectious manner. tion through the cup member in distended con- Certain prior attempts to devise an accessory dition, and withdrawn from the tubular handle 5 of this type have proven unsuccessful because the section. V constructions were cumbersome, complicated, and Figure 4 is an enlarged top View of the cuptoo expensive to manufacture. Other prior deshaped member in an extended condition, with vices have proven unsatisfactory because they do parts broken away to show details of construction,

to not lend themselves for conveniently carrying in and taken as indicated at line, 4-4, on Figure 3. a golf bag along with the clubs, such as in cer- Figure 5 is a transverse sectional View taken at tain constructions which do not provide any suitthe inner edge of the closure cap as indicated at :able enclosure or protection for that portion of line, 5--5, on Figure 4.

the device which is employed for grasping or Figure6 is a transverse sectional View taken at scooping up the golf ball. Manifestly in such line,'66, on Figure 3. 15 constructions the ball grasping means or cup por- Figure '7 is a section through the retaining tion may readily become damagedby the clubs in member for securing the outer ends of the flexible the golf bag, and likewise the golf clubs may be members which serve to form the cup, taken at damaged by it. line, 'I1, on Figure 5.

The primary object of this invention is topro- Figure 8 is a fragmentary axial disassembly of 2 vide a simple, .efiicient, compact, light-weight the parts for securing and locking the flexible construction which may be conveniently carried members of the cup member in extended condiin a golf bag along with the clubs, and may, when tion. necessity arises, be quickly and simply brought Referring now in detail to the drawing, A, in-

into use from collapsed or distended condition 'dicates generally the handle member of the deto extended condition of substantial length, so as vice, which is composed ofa plurality of teleto permit the recovery of a ball, although it'may scopic tubular members indicated at, I0, I I, and have dropped or rolled some distance from the I2. The outermost member I2, has a cap or edge of the water hazard. block, I3, at one end for enclosing same, and car- 3 Another object is to provide a golf ball retrievried at theopposite end of the innermost tubular 5 ing device with a collapsible cup member which is member, I0, is a closurecap, I4, which is dimenadapted to be extended and secured in a suitsioned to snugly fit the adjacent end of the outerable cup form. I most tubular member, I2, as may be seen in Fig- A further object of this invention is to provid 1 inc 2, of the drawing. The tubular members, I0

a golf ball retrieving device having a plurality -and II, are provided with yieldable detent mem-"3 of telescoping tubular handle members, with a bers, I6, which are adapted to register with and cup member at one end which is adapted to be engage in apertures, Ila, and, I2a, of the respeccollapsed and telescoped into one of said tubular tive handle members, II, and, I2, for yieldably handle members, so that when the device is not locking said handle members in extended condi- 40 in use it may be conveniently carried in the golf tion as seen in Figure 1, of the drawing.

bag along with the clubs without any possibility Secured to the free end of the innermost tuof it becoming damaged thereby. -bular member, ID, and carrying the closure cup,

It is also an object of this invention to provide I4, is a collapsible structure adapted to be flexed a golf ball retrieving device with a collapsible cup in cup-shaped formation. Said structure includes member composed of a plurality'ofspaced apart a plurality of parallel, spaced apart, longitudi- 4,5 yieldable members adapted to be flexed-and se- 'nally extending, yieldable members, I9, which are cured in cup-shaped formation. secured at one end to the tubular handle mem- Other objects and advantages of my invention ber, ID, by means of a cup-shape retaining memwill appear in the following detailed description I ber, 20, which is rigidly secured in said member,

taken in connection with the accompanying I0; adjacent the end, 'by a rivet, 2|, as seen in 50 drawing in which:--- Figures 3 and 4, Said member, 20, is formed with Figure 1 is a side elevation of a golf ball'rea plurality of apertures, 20a, through which the trieving device, embodying the present invention, reduced-ends of the yieldable members, I 9, are shown in an extended condition with parts broken extende'dfand formed over for permanent secureawayto show details of construction. I I I inent tojthe said member, 20. The-end of the= 55 tubular handle member, ID, is provided with a plurality of slots, Iflb, which are adapted to receive, guide and position the yieldable members, I9, when they have been flexed into cup-shape formation as seen in Figure 4, of the drawing. The opposite ends of said yieldable members are hingedly connected to a retainer plate, 22, which is rigidly secured by means of rivets, 23, to the cup-shape cap member, I4. Said retainer plate, 22, is formed with radially spaced apart, recessed lugs, 22a, forming a seat for a retaining wire, 24, which forms the hinge pin for the ends of said yieldable members, I9, which are interposed between the lugs, 22a, of the retainer plate, 22. When the wire, 24, with the members, I9, mounted thereon is seated in the lugs, 22a, said lugs are clinched over as seen in Figure 7, to secure the retaining wire, 24, to the plate, 22, and the ends, 24a, of said wire are projected through said plate, 22, and clinched on the oppposite side thereof as seen in Figures 5, 6, and '1, of the drawing.

The means for locking the members, I9, in flexed, cup-shape formation, include a stud, 25, slidably mounted for axial movement in the cap member, I4, and having its outer end provided with a knob, 26, for operating the locking means. Rigidly secured on said stud is a spider shape locking member, 21, having a plurality of radially extending fins or ribs, 21a, which normally extend into correspondingly formed slots, 220, of the retaining member, 22, as seen in Figure 3, of the drawing. Loosely mounted on said stud, 25, beyond said locking spider, 21, is a cam-disk, 30, of dish formation, having a portion of its marginal edge provided with spaced apart slots, 30a, adapted to guide and engage with cooperatively formed abutments, I91), of the respective yieldable members, I9, as seen in the drawing and particularly in Figure 8. The abutments, I9b, are herein shown as continuations of the respective members, I9, and each member is formed with a portion bent at substantially right angles to said member, with a terminal portion extending as a brace, and secured by a rivet or welded in position. It will be apparent that said cooperative abutments of the yieldable members may be made in various other forms, such as independent members, secured to the yieldable members.

When it is desired to utilize the device the three tubular handle members, III, II, I2, are first extended and locked in operative condition so as to produce a handle member of substantial length. When said parts are extended the cup member is normally disposed in collapsed form as seen in Figure 3; the knob, 26, is then grasped and shifted axially inward, and this pressure tends to bow out the members, I9, and the movement of the stud, 25, shifts the ribs, 21a, of the locking spider, 21, through and beyond the registered notches, 220, of the member, 22. This movement simultaneously shifts the dish-shaped cam, 30, in axial direction so that the bottom edge of the slots, 3000, act camwise against the cooperating abutments, I9b, of the respective yieldable members, I9, also assisting to bow or flex them into cupshape formation as seen in Figure 4, of the drawing. As the members, I9, are being flexed the portions adjacent the connection to the retainer member, 20, of the handle member, ID, move into the notches, IOb, formed in said handle member, I0, so as to insure proper positioning of said members, I9, in spaced apart relation. Then by rotating the knob, 26, and stud, 25, while the members, I9, are flexed, the ribs, 21a, of the locking spider are shifted out of registration with their cooperative notches, 220, of the disk, 22, so that upon release of inward pressure on the knob, 25, the tension set up in the flexed yieldable members, I9, reacting through their abutments, I917, against the dish cam, 30, will cause the spider ribs, 210., to abut against the inner surface of the member, 22, for locking said members, I9, in flexed cup-shape formation.

To collapse the cup-shape structure merely requires a slight inward pressure on the knob, 26, and rotation thereof so as to shift the spider ribs 21a, into registered relation with the cooperating notches, 220, of the member, 22, at which time the tension in the flexed members, I8, through the abutments, I9b, acting against the dish-shaped cam, 30, will shift said stud and spider to inoperative position, so as to permit said yieldable members to collapse as seen in Figure 3, of the drawing. As may be noted in Figure 3, of the drawing, the yieldable members, when in collapsed condition, are dimensioned so as to freely telescope into the outer tubular handle member, I2, so as to permit the closure cap, I 4, to embrace and enclose the end of the outer tubular member, I2, when said handle members are telescoped together.

Although I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is manifest that it is capable of modification and rearrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not therefore wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the specific construction herein shown and described, except as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. A golf ball retriever including a handle member, and a collapsible cup secured to one end of said handle member, the mouth of the cup opening in a direction transverse to the length of the handle.

2. A golf ball retriever including a handle member, a normally collapsed cup secured to one end of said handle member, said cup including a plurality of substantially straight yieldable members, means for flexing the members into cupshape formation, and means for securing said yieldable members in such flexed condition.

3. A golf ball retriever including a handle member, a normally collapsed cup secured to one end of said handle member, said cup including a plurality of longitudinally extending, substantially straight, yieldable members adapted to be flexed into cup-shape formation, and means for securing said yieldable members in such flexed condition, each of said yieldable members, at the end remote from the handle member, being provided with an abutment, and said securing means including a cooperating abutment adapted to be moved into operative blocking engagement with the ab-utments of said yieldable members, when they have been flexed, for maintaining them in such condition.

4. A golf ball retriever including a handle member, a normally collapsed cup secured to one end of said handle member, said cup including a plurality of longitudinally extending, substantially straight, yieldable members adapted to be flexed into cup-shape formation, and means for securing said yieldable members in such flexed condition, eachof said yieldable members, at the end remote from the handle member, being provided with an abutment, and said securing means includinga cooperating abutment adapted-to be moved into operative blocking engagement with the abutments of said yieldable members, when they have been flexed, for maintaining them in such condition, and means for moving and securing said cooperating abutment in operative position.

5. A golf ball retriever including a handle member, a normally collapsed cup secured to one end of said handle member, said cup including a plurality of longitudinally extending, spaced apart, substantially straight, yieldable members adapted to be flexed into cup-shape formation, and means for securing said yieldable members in such flexed condition, each of said yieldable members, at the end remote from the handle member, being provided with an abutment, and said securing means including a cooperating abutment adapted to be moved into operative blocking engagement with the abutments of said yieldable members, when they have been flexed, for maintaining them in such condition, and means for moving and securing said cooperating abutment in operative position, said cooperating abutment being of dished-formation and having its periphery formed with spaced apart notches for cooperative engagement with the abutments of the yieldable members and for insuring pro-per spaced relation of said members When they have been flexed.

6. A golf ball retriever including a tubular handle member, a normally collapsed cup connected to one end of the handle member, said cup including a plurality of longitudinally extending, spaced apart, yieldable members adapted to be flexed into cup-shape formation, and means for securing said members in such flexed condition, said members having portions extending into the end of said tubular member and secured therein, the edge of the tubular member being formed with slots for receiving said yieldable members for insuring proper spaced apart relation thereof when they have been flexed.

'7. A golf ball retriever including a handle composed of a plurality of telescoping tubular members, a collapsible cup secured to one end of the innermost tubular member and dimensioned to be telescoped into one of said tubular members, and a cap secured to the remote portion of the cup, and dimensioned to engage and close the adjacent end of the outermost tubular member, when said members are in telescoped condition.

8. A golf ball retriever including a handle composed of a plurality of telescoping tubular members, a normally collapsed cup secured to one end of the innermost tubular member and dimensioned to be telescoped into one of said tubular members, said cup including a plurality of longitudinallyextending yieldable members adapted to be flexed into cup-shape formation, means associated with the remote ends of said yieldable members for securing them in such flexed condition, and a cup-shaped cap surrounding said securing means and dimensioned to engage and close the adjacent end of the outermost tubular member, when said tubular members are in telescoped condition.

9. A golf ball retriever including a handle member, a normally collapsed cup secured to one end of said handle member, said cup including a plurality of substantially straight yieldable members adapted to be flexed into cup-shape formation, means connecting the outer ends of said members together, and means for securing said yieldable members in flexed condition.

10. A golf ball retriever including a handle member, a normally collapsed cup secured to one end of said handle member, said cup including a plurality of substantially straight yieldable members adapted to be flexed into cup-shape formation, means connecting the outer ends of said members together, and providing separate pivot connections for said members, and means for securing said yieldable members in flexed condition.

LAWRENCE J. MOLINARE. 

